The conventional type of panty hose garment usually includes a pair of legs knit solely of sheer stretchable yarn and providing sufficient stretchability to fit a range of leg sizes while providing a relatively small amount of compressive force against the underlying legs of the wearer. Some types of panty hose, the so-called "panty girdle" type, include a panty girdle formed of a heavy elastic fabric with the upper ends of sheer hosiery legs being sewn to the leg openings in the panty girdle. This type of panty girdle applies a great amount of compressive force against the underlying portion of the body of the wearer while the portions of the sheer stockings immediately adjacent to the leg openings apply very little, if any, compressive force against the upper thigh portions of the legs of the wearer. This immediate transition from high compressive force by the panty girdle to little or no compressive force by the adjacent hosiery leg causes an abrupt outward bulging of the portions of the upper thighs below the leg openings of the panty girdle portion and these bulge lines are visible when the panty hose is worn beneath tight-fitting slacks or skirts.
Other panty hose of the so-called "control top" type are formed by incorporating a heavy elastic or spandex yarn in the upper portions of elongated stocking blanks while the lower leg portions of the stocking blanks are knit of a relatively sheer and stretchable yarn. The upper ends of the elongated stocking blanks are then slit longitudinally and the slit edges of a pair of the blanks are seamed together so that the upper end portions of the blanks form the control top panty and the sheer legs extend upwardly to the upper thighs of the wearer. The control top panty portion provides a relatively great amount of compressive force against the body of the wearer while the immediately adjacent sheer leg portions provide little, if any, compressive force against the upper thighs. This immediate transition from high compressive force by the control top panty to little or no compressive force by the adjacent hosiery leg causes an abrupt outward bulging of the portions of the upper thighs below the juncture of the control top panty with the legs. These bulge lines extend around the lower portion of the control top panty and are visible when the panty hose is worn beneath tight-fitting slacks or skirts.
In the formation of what is known as "all sheer" panty hose, the sewn together elongated hosiery blanks are knit throughout their entire length of sheer, stretchable yarn so that the same small amount of compressive force is applied against both the lower body and legs of the wearer and no bulge lines are formed around the upper thighs. However, this all sheer type panty hose is provided with either a sewn-on elastic waistband or with an integrally knit waistband which includes a substantial amount of elastic or spandex yarn to provide a relatively great amount of compressive force around the waist of the wearer. This immediate transition from high compressive force by the elastic waistband to little or no compressive force by the adjacent panty causes an abrupt outward bulging of the portion of the body directly under the waistband to produce an objectionable bulge line.